Windows Hello

[DzoNiBratte]

Hello everyone,

I have an issue with my laptop and Windows Hello.

Laptop: HP ProBook 450 G7
OS: Windows 10 x64, fully updated

I never used Windows Hello before, but now I want to use it.

I successfully set up:

• PIN

• Fingerprint

The fingerprint works perfectly in Chrome password manager, so the sensor itself is working.

However, when I shut down, restart, log off, or lock the laptop, I do not get the option to log in using PIN or fingerprint.
On the lock screen, I only see password or password reset via recovery media.

What I have already tried:

• BIOS updated to the latest version

• Windows fully updated

• Deleted and re-added PIN and fingerprint multiple times

• Uninstalled and reinstalled Synaptics fingerprint driver

• Disabled power management option that allows Windows to turn off the fingerprint device

• Reset TPM in BIOS (BitLocker recovery key was required and entered successfully)

• Enabled biometrics via Registry Editor

• Ran sfc /scannow as administrator

None of the above solved the problem.

Summary:

• Fingerprint works inside Windows (Chrome)

• Windows Hello does NOT appear on the lock screen

• No PIN or fingerprint option, only password

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

[Moulvin81]

If Windows Hello does not appear on your Windows 10 login page, it is often due to a conflict with account settings, a service that has stopped running, or corrupted biometric data.

1. Toggle "Sign-in Options" on the Login Screen

If you have multiple ways to sign in, the login screen might default to a standard password.

• Look for a "Sign-in options" link below the password field.
• Click it and select the PIN, Fingerprint, or Face icon to switch to Windows Hello. 

2. Verify "Require Windows Hello" Settings

A common setting can hide other sign-in options if not configured correctly.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Find "Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts" and toggle it Off.
3. Restart your PC and check if the options appear. 

3. Restart the Windows Biometric Service

Windows Hello may not load if its background service is stuck.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Locate Windows Biometric Service.
3. Right-click it and select Restart.
4. Ensure its Startup Type is set to Automatic. 

4. Clear and Reset Windows Hello Data (Ngc Folder)

If your biometric data is corrupted, Windows will stop offering it as a login method.

1. Log in using your password.
2. Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft.
3. Right-click the Ngc folder, take ownership of it (via Properties > Security > Advanced), and delete everything inside.
4. Go back to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and set up your PIN and biometrics again. 

5. Check Group Policy (Windows 10 Pro)

If you are on a Pro or Enterprise version, Windows Hello might be disabled by policy.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon.
3. Ensure "Turn on convenience PIN sign-in" is set to Enabled or Not Configured.
4. Navigate to ...Windows Components > Biometrics and ensure "Allow users to log on using biometrics" is Enabled. 

6. Update or Reinstall Biometric Drivers

Outdated drivers can cause hardware to be "hidden" from the login screen.

• Right-click Start > Device Manager.
• Expand Biometric devices.
• Right-click your sensor (e.g., "Windows Hello Face Software Device" or your fingerprint scanner) and select Update driver.
• If that fails, select Uninstall device, then restart your computer to let Windows automatically reinstall it.

[DzoNiBratte]

Hello Moulvin81.
Please do not copy and paste solutions from the web — I have already tried all of that and nothing helped.
If possible, could someone with more experience reply to my problem?

[DzoNiBratte]

Does anyone know how to fix this problem?

[DzoNiBratte · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone,
I previously started a thread about my Windows Hello issue. I tried absolutely everything that was suggested online, but nothing helped. I even contacted Microsoft, and through remote support they reinstalled Windows while keeping my files. That didn’t help either.

When I had already accepted that my laptop would probably never support Windows Hello login via camera or fingerprint, I accidentally opened HP Client Security in the Control Panel and enabled it. Immediately after that, Windows Hello appeared on the lock screen. I locked and unlocked the system several times and couldn’t believe it — everything was working perfectly.

This post isn’t really about that solution, but I hope it might help someone else.

After enabling HP Client Security, I didn’t carefully read what I was selecting — I just enabled it quickly and let the settings apply. After a long and exhausting day, I shut down the laptop. The next morning, I turned it on and got a big surprise.

In addition to the SSD password that I always enter, a new screen appeared: “Power-On Authentication by HP.” It gave me two options:

1. Continue by entering a password (which I never set), or

2. Scan my fingerprint.

My first thought was: “Wow, this is interesting — powerful and secure. Well done, HP.”
The very first thing I said to myself was: “That’s it, I will always buy HP.”

One minute later, I was almost crying and pulling out the little hair I still have on my head.

I scanned my fingerprint at least 100 times, and the system refused to accept it every single time. Of course, I didn’t know the password because I never created one. I started panicking. I quickly closed the laptop lid, packed it up, got in my car, and went to two computer repair shops. Both technicians told me that without the password, the only solution was to replace the motherboard or buy a new laptop.

At that moment, I told myself: “I will never buy HP again.”

I then called an authorized HP service center, and they told me the same thing — there was no way to unlock it and the motherboard would have to be replaced. For two days, I tried everything imaginable. Nothing worked. BIOS access was completely blocked. I tried various passwords, and completely by accident, I entered “1234” — and the laptop unlocked.

How? Why? What exactly happened that HP Client Security automatically set a password without informing me? That is not acceptable.

While I was locked out of my own computer, I read many forum posts where people said they had thrown their laptops away, while others found EliteBooks in trash bins and later tried to unlock them.

So, if anyone ever finds themselves in a similar situation — and I’m sure someone will — there is a very high chance that the default password might simply be “1234.”